Rage! Why it can be a good thing (seriously)

Rage Why it can be a good thing (seriously)Rage Why it can be a good thing (seriously)Holy f*cking anger. It beats against the inner wall of your chest like it will either melt you from the inside or blow open your sternum altogether. Its beyond anger. Its rage.Rage from injustice. Rage from unfairness. Rage because it doesnt matter, but should. Rage because its bedrngnis right. Just, rage.Anger, rage, its intense. Its powerful. And its not a feeling that we let cycle through our emotions very often. We suppress and meditate and tell ourselves not to be angry. And definitely not to let the anger turn to rage.Anger isnt high on my list of feelings. It actually took years before I would even let myself experience that feeling because I hardly knew how to recognize it. And then I had to learn how to handle it when it did rear hot in my life.I got pretty good at handling it. So I knew that when I woke up from my second rage dream in a matter of weeks something was going on. And yes, appa rently rage dreams are a thing.I was so blistering angry in my dream I can still feel my heart pumping from it now. It was like I couldnt scream loud enough. I couldnt break and throw enough things. And I wanted out of my own body because I was so angry in my dream. Naturally, I woke up and was like holy heck whats going on here (and then promptly Googled meaning of rage dreams to which I got about a million results that said there is no meaning youre just angry. Pretty simple. Ha).Suppressed anger huh? Ok. Ok. Ok. I knew what I was angry about. But I didnt want to be angry because I wanted it to all be fine. I wanted it over. I wanted to move on from the situation. But clearly, I was so mad I was having multiple rage dreams.So I started asking questions. What am I feeling? Why? Why? Why? Those questions led me to my truth. And that truth led me to an outcome Im so proud of. Real proud of.This is the nature of rage. Just like a blazing fire, the intense heat can purify us. If we le t it move through us without letting it destroy, rage can be the alchemy of new understanding. So if youre feeling RAGE, feel it. Ask whats going on. Eventually, youll get clarity. You just might have to get a little angry first.Maxie McCoy is a writer and speaker obsessed with giving women the tools they need to believe in themselves. Committed to the global rise of women, she writes weekly inspiration onmaxiemccoy.comand specializes in creating offline experiences for top brands. Her work has been featured on Good Morning America, Bustle, Fortune, INC, Womens Health, and more. Her forthcoming bookYoure Not Lost An Inspired Action Plan for Finding Your Own Waywill be published by TarcherPerigee of Penguin Random House.Thisarticlefirst appeared onMaxieMcCoy.com.

Dont Fear the Reaper (i.e. the Bar Exam)

Dont Fear the Reaper (i.e. the Bar Exam)Dont Fear the Reaper (i.e. the Bar Exam)Well, were here. The bar exam classes have ended, and you now have two weeks to insert the laws of an entire state into your tired, tired brain.Heres a sampling of questions you may be asking yourselfWhere did the summer go?Why did I go to law school?Why is everything on this page highlighted??Am I going to barf on exam day?The answers are really quite simpleYouve been inside studying.You have no one to blame but yourself.Because you need to know all of itYes.Although the studying is grueling, the real horror of the bar exam is the result of the fear of the unknown. Sure, youve taken tests before (lots of them), but the bar exam is different. You arent in a familiar classroom with recognizable classmates. If youre sitting for the Virginia bar, you will test in a literal thunder dome style arena surrounded by hundreds of strangers (inexplicably) wearing suits. A poor wertzuwachs on this test wont just scre w up your G.P.A., it feels like it could be career ending. The atmosphere may be unnerving and the stakes may seem higher, but you have been here before.The exam will look exactly like what Barbri, Kaplin and Themis have been forcing you to stare at all summer. The questions may even be written in the same font. The content wont be dramatically different or appear in a radically different form. In fact, some of the actual exam essay questions may be identical to the practice exam questions. Same dumb names, same references to random cities in your state, same facts, and, most importantly, same answers that youve already read and reviewed. Youve been taking the bar exam again and again all summer. These final two weeks are an opportunity to take it a few mora times. The more practice questions you do, the more times youve experienced what its like to sit for the bar exam. Dont let the atmosphere or the location of the bar exam distract you. Youve got this Follow Vault on TwitterVAULT LAW, InstagramVaultCareersandFacebookRead MoreOverview of the Bar Exam7 Tips for Surviving the Last Month of Bar Exam StudyingTen Tips for a Successful Bar Exam

5 Signs Youre Doing Well at Your New Job - The Muse

5 Signs Youre Doing Well at Your New Job - The Muse5 Signs Youre Doing Well at Your New JobIf youre a beginning runner, you celebrate your first 5K finish. If youre a rookie piano player, you revel in the first time youre able to play any song besides Chopsticks. If youre a novice baker, you throw up a fist pump the first time your souffl doesnt sink. But when it comes to the first few weeks of a new job, theres usually not much celebrating- only an intense focus on getting through each day without bumbling your responsibilities or making huge, company-foiling mistakes.However, taking a moment to celebrate little victories can remind you that youre getting closer to proficiency in your role- and overall career success- every day. So if youre looking for a milestone to celebrate, be on the lookout for these five.1. Completing an Assignment Without Asking for HelpWhat program do you use for expenses?How do I book my travel?What does this error mean?Can you help me set up this spreadshe et? Wheres the coffee?Its the bane of a new hires existence To do virtually anything, you have to ask for help. While theres no shame in asking your co-workers for assistance, it feels really good that first time youre able to make it through a project or assignment without asking for help. It means youre capable, confident, and on your way to mastering your role.2. Wondering Where Did the Time Go?After a couple weeks of feeling completely lost in my first managerial role, I clearly remember looking at the clock on my computer at 530 PM one evening and wondering where the day went. Or, it can happen with a single task. You start an assignment, and what seems like five minutes later, you look up- and realize its actually been two hours. But you didnt notice the time passing because you were so captivated by your work. In the first few weeks of a new job, youll probably feel hesitant or unsure- and because of that, time might pass slowly. So when you first experience that moment when youre so engrossed in your role that time flies, celebrate. That means youve found work that you enjoy and can fully immerse yourself in. 3. Moving on After a MistakeAs the office newcomer, youre under a lot of pressure to perform well. Out of dozens- maybe hundreds- of applicants, the company picked you to fill this role. And now your teammates are expecting you to meet all of their expectations. That pressure can make it difficult to move on after a mistake. Even if the misstep was minor, you may find yourself fretting over it for days, rehearsing the perfect apology to deliver to your manager, and wondering if the company will take back its decision to hire you. But there will come a day when you make a blunder and can move on gracefully. Youll know exactly how to react, how to fix the mistake, and how to move forward without agonizing over if it will affect your tenure at the company. And thats something to take note of- because it means youre confident in your role and your pla ce in the organization.4. Enjoying a Workday From Start to FinishMost days, especially when youre new to your job, youre going to experience quite a few ups and downs. Youll learn something new then youll ask a dumb question. Youll befriend a co-worker then youll get lost on your way to the break room. You may enjoy your new role- but only during the moments when youre not completely embarrassing yourself. But eventually, youll go through an entire day and realize you enjoyed every part of it.Sure, maybe you faced challenges. But you enjoyed the problem-solving process and using your creativity to find a solution. Maybe you were faced with an intimidating new assignment. But you collaborated with a co-worker to figure out how to work through it. And at the end of the day, all youre left with is a sense of pride and accomplishment.It wont happen every day (even for people who work in their absolute dream jobs). But when it happens, revel in it- its a great achievement and a sign of g ood things to come.5. Taking a New Employee Under Your WingAt some point, you wont be the newest employee anymore. Someone new will join your team or department- and he will look to you to help him find his way within the company. That wont necessarily mean youve mastered your role completely. But it gives you the chance to be the one answering questions instead of asking them or offering to lend a hand instead of begging for help. And when youre still relatively new to your position, that is quite a victory.As a new employee, you may feel like youre walking on eggshells. But celebrating even small wins can give you a boost of confidence and remind you that youre capable of great things. Youve proven yourself in these achievements already- and there are only bigger victories ahead.Photo of woman at work courtesy of Shutterstock.